Richard Thomas “Tom” Darden, a native of Great Lakes, IL and a resident of Spanish Fort, AL, passed away on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the age of 61.
Tom was a 1987 graduate of LaGrange College and was a part of the LaGrange College Baseball Hall of Fame. He worked 31 years for Shell Oil, retiring in December of 2020. Tom enjoyed playing golf, fishing, hunting and watching football, particularly Spanish Fort High School and the Georgia Bulldogs. He truly loved time spent with his family and his dog, Bosco.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Lisa Kuehl Darden; his two beautiful daughters, Kelly and Rachel Darden, both of Pelham, AL; his parents, Charles and Peggy Darden; his brothers, Greg Darden and his wife Terry, and Glenn Darden and his wife, Patsy; along with other family members and friends.
Tom was loved by all of us who knew him and will be missed by us all.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Hughes Funeral Home, 26209 Pollard Road, Daphne, AL, at 11:30AM. There will be a time of visitation with family and friends before the service beginning at 10:00AM.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL at https://give.mayoclinic.org/campaign/740556/donate
Hughes Funeral Home, 26209 Pollard Road, Daphne, AL, is assisting the family. Online expressions of condolences for the family may be made at www.hughesfh.com.
One of the first people I met in our Spanish Fort neighborhood, He introduced me to the neighborhood, invited me to church and treated me like a brother! He was a true friend and a caring man who loved his children and his Lisa! I am sorry for loss of Tom but happy he has gained his heavenly home
Kelly Daniel and I are so sorry for you and your families loss. We love you.
He was Tom to me. Tom was one of a kind, genuine Southern Gentleman, who happened to be born in Great Lakes. We had a bond thru the church, deep real brothers in Christ. I will miss him greatly, but will always remember him. Love you Tom
I’m sure going to miss my fellow Toro & Bulldog.
I will miss our Friday Lunches at Beef O Brady’s & our Friday golf match every week for 15 years.
The thing I will miss most is how kind he was.
Gone too soon!
My Dear Cousin Tom, some of my fondest childhood memories are with you and your Family at Grandmother & Granddaddy Dardens especially at Christmas.
But the fondest and funniest are you and Uncle Charlie Will Darden. Heaven gained a good one with you Tom. I am praying for Lisa and your beautiful Girls, Siblings and Your Precious Parents-love always
I worked with Tom until my retirement from Shell Oil. He was a good friend and excellent co-worker. My deepest condolences.
Tom was a great man with a kind soul and a good friend who I reconnected with over the last couple of years eating lunch with out Spanish Fort Group at Beef’s and playing golf. Tom even helped me get a Marshalling job at Timbercreek. He loved people and golf and loved seeing Timbercreek being resurrected, I just wish he could see it completed. He will be missed by all the people he knew. A really good man gone much too soon. Condolences to all family and friends. Rest in peace my friend, miss you.
Always witty, good for a laugh anytime. It will never be the same before church. One Sunday after Georgia “finally” beat Bama, Tom wore a Bulldog shirt hidden under another shirt. He pretended to be hot and did a Superman with the outside shirt to reveal the big G, the biggest smile on his face. Always knew his sports. Always helped out when something needed doing, always had the right tools. He knew so many things. Loved his girls (Lisa, Rachel and Kelly) so much! He is missed by all who knew him. Now he’s making them smile and laugh in Heaven!
We are 💔!
We loved this guy!
Sympathy to his beautiful wife Lisa , Kelly & Rachel !
I love you Lisa !
Praying 🙏🏼 for you all
Tommy was my best friend in the early ’70s. I was devastated when his family moved to New Orleans. Thought I would never have a friend like him again. I have found friends like him, but I still tell them about Tommy. We built tree houses, fished, and played baseball with Greg and Glenn. What wonderful memories, and even though I haven’t seen him in years, I thought about Tommy often. Amen.
Lisa , Kelly & Rachel, we are so sad to hear of Tom’s passing. Tom always greeted me with kindness. Although we do not see y’all often, I will surely miss seeing Tom primarily at Spanish Fort athletic events. Godspeed. Love to all of you!
‘Big T’, as I affectionately called him, and Lisa have been great friends of ours for almost 20 years. From birthday dinners, Christmas parties, Mardi Gras parades to high school graduation parties, we’ve shared/made some great memories. When our ladies Bunco group would meet at Darden’s house, Big T always prepared the most delicious Boston butt! Tom put up with all us crazy women and made us feel so welcome.
Tom was a big man with a big heart, and could bear hug you with a pat on the back, and make you feel really loved. Tom’s faith was evident in his devoted love for Lisa, Kelly and Rachel (RTD2), Tom’s clone. He didn’t just “talk the talk”, Tom “walked the walk”, and we will miss our dear friend.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Bryan & Elaine Mead
What a great guy! I worked with Tom at Shell Oil Company. He felt more like family than a colleague. He was a phenomenal mentor unabashedly giving of himself whether it was his time, advice or a smile. My heartfelt wishes for his family. He will be missed,and never forgotten.
I worked with Tom for more than 30 years. Tom was a pro in every sense of the word. A man that was competitive, did what he said he was going to do, and knew how to build relationships in the office and with his customers. Tom was fun to be around and I’m grateful he was my friend but most of all I’m grateful to hear the stories of his faith and what it meant to him and the people in his community. Praise Jesus!